Fellowship & DiscipleshipFor Retention and Reclamation

• Today’s American Needs for Spirituality① Meaning and Purpose of Life② Mutual Relationship through Community③ Recognition④ Listening⑤ Growth of Faith⑥ Practical Help for Mature Religious Life

70% of Americans don’t think the conventional churchis fit to settle these issues. (Gallup's Report, 1992)

Self-actualization

Esteem

Love/Belonging

Safety

Physiological Food, Water, Shelter

Security: health,resources, the family

Friends, Intimacy

Recognition

Fulfillment

Where do they want to go?

• Why do people prefer that church to others?

#1. “Because they felt warmly welcomed.”

Love & Caring Quotient0 5 10

Spouse 9.0

Parents 8.7

Family 8.3

Pastors and Friends 7.6

Church Members 6.6

Growing Church Members 7.1

When do People Leave a Church?

Charles Arn – Most of the newly baptizedleave a church between 8 weeks and 12weeks (three months) and the rest of themleave between 6 months and 1 year aftertheir baptism. Usually 80 % of the newlybaptized leave a church within a year.

Friends 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9+ SumActive 0 0 0 1 2 2 8 13 12 12 50

Inactive 8 13 14 8 4 2 1 0 0 0 50

Spiritual Community

Community is a Christian gathering in family atmosphere with a common belief system that interacts constructively with each other and encourages participation to enhance members’ faith and ministry.

(Gn 1:26) Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

God in Community

(Mk 3:14) He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach

Jesus Loves Spiritual Community

(Ac 2:44) All the believers were together and had everything in common.(Ac 2:45) They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.(Ac 2:46) Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,(Ac 2:47) praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

The Early Church

Ø Historical①The Early Church & Home Gathering – 10% of

Roman Empire population (50 million) wereChristians at the end of 3rd Century A.D.

②Waldensians – Lay-centered small groups andmission activities on the farm and at homes

③Anabaptists – Home meetings four or five timesa week with no church buildings

④Pietist Movement – Philip Spener espoused and developed the small group as “small churches within a church”

⑤Moravians – Devoted to personal renewaland overseas mission through home meetings.

⑥John Wesley – Spiritual revival through classmeeting/ Methodist Church

⑦Millerite Movement – 25% of Millerites wereMethodists/ Bible study and Prayer meetingsat homes were influenced by Methodists

⑧Ellen G. White – Emphasis of home meetings

“The formation of small companies as a basis of Christian efforts is a plan that has been presented before me by One who cannot err. If there is a large number in the church, let the members be formed into small companies, to work not only for the church members but for unbelievers also.” (Ev, 115)

ØThe Early Adventism - "social meeting“The early Adventism had the ‘social meeting’ early inthe morning, after the Sabbath School or the worshipservice, and Friday evening or Saturday evening.The social meeting consisted of testimony, praises,and prayers. Instead of worship service, sometimesthey had the social meeting.

“If fewer words of human wisdom, and more of the words of Christ, were spoken, if there were fewer sermons, and more social meetings, we would find a different atmosphere pervade our churches and our camp meetings. Seasons of prayer should be held for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” (Manuscript Releases, vol.2, 21)

“If there is a large number in the church, let the members be formed into small companies, to work not only for the church members, but for unbelievers. If in one place there are only two or three who know the truth, let them form themselves into a band of workers.”(ChS, 72)

Activities of Church Members

Fellowship Group Strategy

a. Four Functions

Worship Fellowship

Nurture Mission

b. How to lead cell group

• Welcome & GreetingsWelcome

• Praising and prayingWorship

• Meditating the words Word

• Sharing the findingsWitness

• Interceding for friends (seekers)Work

Why are Small Group Effective?

• Flexibility• Mobility• Inclusive• Personal• Multiplied by division

• Effective means of evangelism• Involved in activities

Friendship evangelism

“60-90 percent of Christians has been led to the Church by their friends or relatives.” (Donald McGavran)

“The best evangelism takes place in a context of mutual trust and respect. It takes place between friends.”

How have they become Adventists?

Friend, Neighbors 40 %Pastors 21 %Relatives 17 %Public evangelism 13 %Adventist schools 9 %Magazine 7 %Radio & TV program 7 %Correspondent study 2-3 %Others 2-3 %

Family or Friends

Neighbors

Acquaintance

Relationship Circle- Target we should work for first -

• Duration of faith & Friends- Bill Hybels, "Just Walk Across the Room "

0

5

10

15

20

25

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Duration of faith

Friends

How to make friends"Living in 3D" - Bill Hybles

ØDevelop FriendshipsØDiscover StoriesØDiscern Next Steps

According to the research, most of conversion to Christianity has been done during the trauma or the period of transition in life. Six months to a year before people begin church life, most of them experienced house-moving, divorce, marriage, death of family member, birth of new family, unemployment, any stressful incidents, etc.

How to lead the visitor to come again

§ Prompt visitation (within 72 hours)§ First visitation by a church member§ Send a greetings card§ The purpose of first visitation – fellowship for

coming back

Discipleship through Fellowship Meeting

• Family Atmosphere• Finding Friends• Learning Jesus• Spiritual maturity• Participation • Sharing• Inviting friends

Multiplication of Small Group & Church Growth

§ The small group is the conventional formation of 6to 12 members. According to Joel Comiskey, it takes9 months for 60 % of small groups to multiply. Forexample, seven to eight members of a small groupmay grow to 12 to 15 members in 6 to 12 months.But in multiplication of small groups, the mostimportant element is the small group leader’s visionand spirituality.

Church baptism : membership = 1:42 (highest 1:20)Small Group baptism : membership = 1:4.5

Healthy small groups : multiplied in 6 months to a yearHealthy small group churches : 20% growth every year